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Habib Koite
Afriki

Artist: Habib Koite
CD title: Afriki
Released date: 2007
Number of Discs: 1
Genre: Ethnic
Type: MP3 format sound
Quality: 320 Kbit
Duration: 00:45:59
Total size: 105MB

Tracks:
01. Namania [00:04:09] 9,58 MB
02. N'tesse [00:04:31] 10,4 MB
03. Africa [00:04:50] 11,1 MB
04. Fimani [00:04:26] 10,2 MB
05. N'ba [00:04:38] 10,6 MB
06. Mali Ba [00:04:42] 10,8 MB
07. Barra [00:03:47] 8:71 MB
08. N'Teri [00:04:34] 10,5 MB
09. Nta Dima [00:03:03] 7,06 MB
10. Massake [00:03:52] 8,9 MB
11. Titati [00:03:23] 7,8 MB

Habib Koité Gets Afriki: Africa’s Musical Ambassador Releases First Studio Album in Six Years
After a six-year absence from the recording studio, Malian guitarist Habib Koité and his band Bamada return this fall with a stunning new album, Afriki. With more than 250,000 albums sold around the globe, an appearance on Late Night with David Letterman, a duet with Bonnie Raitt on her 2001 album Silver Lining and nearly a thousand concerts on some of the world’s most prestigious stages under his belt, Habib Koité is one of Africa’s most beloved and popular musicians. Afriki, which will be released by Cumbancha on September 25th, 2007, features an appealing set of songs that reflect Habib’s unique and innovative approach to the diverse styles of Malian music.

Habib Koite is known for his unique approach to playing the guitar. He tunes his instrument to the pentatonic scale and plays on open strings as one would on a kamale n'goni. At other times Habib plays music that sounds closer to the blues or flamenco, two styles he studied under Khalilou Traore, veteran of the legendary Afro-Cuban band Maravillas du Mali. Unlike the griots, his singing style is restrained and intimate with varying cadenced rhythms and melodies. His supporting cast, Bamada, is an explosive super-group of West African rhythm section talent.

"Nobody really taught me to sing or to play the guitar," says Habib Koite. "I watched my parents, and it washed off on me." Koite was headed for a career as an engineer, but on the insistence of his uncle, who recognized Habib's musical talent, he enrolled at the National Institute of Arts in Bamako, Mali, launching his twenty-year career.

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 http://rapidshare.com/files/84750999...riki.part1.rar

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Zap Mama

Tracks:
01 - Zap Mama - Mupepe.mp3
02 - Zap Mama - NDJe Mukanie.mp3
03 - Zap Mama - Abadou.mp3
04 - Zap Mama - Marie Josee.mp3
05 - Zap Mama - Etupe.mp3
06 - Zap Mama - Nabombeli Yo.mp3
07 - Zap Mama - Take Me Coco.mp3
08 - Zap Mama - Son Cubano.mp3
09 - Zap Mama - Guzophela.mp3
10 - Zap Mama - Plekete.mp3
11 - Zap Mama - Bottom.mp3
12 - Zap Mama - I Ne Suhe.mp3
13 - Zap Mama - Mizike.mp3
14 - Zap Mama - Babanzele.mp3
15 - Zap Mama - Din Din.mp3

Background:
The essence of Zap Mama goes back to Marie Daulne's birth. It was a very difficult time in Zaire, a time of revolution. The Simba rebels sought to kill interracial couples. Her mother was a Bantu. Her father was Belgian. Threatened, her mother took her into the jungle to stay with the Pygmies for eight months. They were safe because the rebels were scared of the strong magic of the forest peoples. Eventually they were taken to Belgium where Marie grew up. It is this dual cultural heritage which lies at the root of the music and mission of Zap Mama.

By l989 she had spent several years singing in jazz cafes and bars in Brussels when she decided to create a group to musically merge the cultures of her life, both which she cherishes. Marie remembered Sylvie Nawasando from singing on the train to school and later at the university. Their brothers had played music together. Sabine is a mixture of peoples like Marie, Zairean and Belgian. With three, Marie held an audition and discovered Marie Alfonso. Finally they found Sally Nyolo and performed their first concert in 1989.All the women contributed in different ways, spiritual, emotional, information, stories. Marie does most of the researching for the songs.

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Ismaël Lo
Senegal

Artist: Ismaël Lo
CD title: Senegal
Release date: 2006
Number of Discs: 1
Genre: Ethnic
Type: MP3 format sound
Quality: 320 Kbit
Time: 01:01:03
Total size: 140 MB
Info: covers included

Tracks:
01. Baykat
02. Incha Allah
03. Tass Yakar
04. Jola
05. Taar Dusey
06. Manko
07. Yaye Boye
08. Plus Je Fais Ci, Plus Je Fais Ça
09. Mbindane
10. Wakhal
11. Ouvriers
12. Jiguen
13. Ma Fille
14. Tajabone

Info:
Ismael Lo possess one of the finest voices in Senegal, but he uses it sparingly. His last album of new songs was released five years back, and the one before that appeared 12 years ago. So has this been worth the wait? Well, sort of. The man once dubbed the "Bob Dylan of Africa" because of his acoustic guitar, harmonica and trenchant lyrics now sounds like a cool soul singer, with his distinctive, relaxed vocals matched against lush backing, with brass, strings and keyboards. He never quite breaks into a sweat, but his songs are for the most part a gently upbeat blend of Senegalese mbalax, reggae and ballads. The subject matter apparently covers anything from arranged marriages to democracy, but despite his fame as a lyricist, no English translation is provided.
Still, it's a classy set, even if the orchestration can be annoying. His classic song Tajabone sounded better when he first recorded it 15 years ago, without the sweeping strings.
Robin Denselow
Friday November 10, 2006
The Guardian

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South Africa presents: Women with a Voice

Year: 2007
Style: World, Jazz, Pop
Country: South Africa
Label: Skip
Format: mp3
Quality: 224 kbps
Size: 108 MB

Tracklist:
01. Simphiwe Dana - Vukani
02. Thandiswa - Nizalwa Ngobani
03. Busi Mhlongo - Yehlisan'Umoya Ma-Afrika
04. Nana - Koboyi
05. Gloria Bosman - Natures Dances
06. Judith Sephuma - Iya Iyo
07. Sibongile Khumalo - Seliyana
08. Thandi Klaasen - Sophiatown
09. Letta Mbulu - Not Yet Uhuru
10. Mahotella Queens - Ntyilo Ntyilo
11. Suthukazi Arosi - Abafazi Balelali
12. Tu Nokwe - Shosholoza
13. Miriam Makeba - Back Of The Moon



The collection of 13 fabulous female vocalists from South Africa being presented is already something very special, even if it's simply because all of these artists have biographies that stand in direct correlation to political events. Though apartheid has come to an end, so many multifaced problems still exist in South Africa that all of these vocalists are raising their voices in the interests of "their" people. "Women With A Voice" is displaying the broad spectrum of styles and generations fort he first time: from Mbaqanga to Jazz, from Maskanda to modern Afro-Pop, from highly promising newcomers on the scene to legendary "divas". This album is a tribute to the South African music scene in its creatively outstanding multicomplexity , spanning the range from South Africa's most recent star Simphiwe Dana to divas like Sibongile Khumalo, Letta Mbulu , Busi Mhlongo or Gloria Bosman and of course Mama Africa Miriam Makeba. An event for all fans of great female voices from Africa.

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Toumani Diabaté
The Mandé Variations

Artist: Toumani Diabaté
CD title: The Mandé Variations
Release date: 2008
Number of Discs: 1
Genre: Ethnic
Type: MP3 format sound
Quality: 320 Kbit/s
Time: 00:58:09
Total size: 82,7 MB
info:full booklet scan included

Tracks:
01-si_naani 10:29
02-elyne_road 8:50
03-ali_farka_toure 6:20
04-kaunding_cissoko 6:48
05-ismael_drame 5:45
06-djourou_kara_nany 6:53
07-el_nabiyouna 6:03
08-cantelowes 6:57

Quote:
"The Mandé Variations is the highly anticipated solo album from Africa’s most brilliant instrumentalist and king of the kora, Toumani Diabaté. A moodier, more reflective and mature sound than we have heard from him previously, it features interpretations of classic themes alongside groundbreaking improvised pieces."


Album Description :
"The sort of musician you only encounter once or twice in a lifetime." Lucy Duran, BBC Radio 3
'The Mandé Variations' is the highly anticipated solo album from Africa's most brilliant instrumentalist and king of the kora, Toumani Diabaté. A particularly beautiful and melodically accessible instrumental album which will appeal to a very broad spectrum of music buyers, whether they favour jazz, classical, folk, ambient, or even chill out. In fact, anyone who enjoys discovering new music!

A moodier, more reflective and mature sound than we have heard previously from Toumani before, featuring interpretations of classic themes alongside groundbreaking improvised pieces. The album is a departure from Toumani's recent collaborative work and the chance to fully appreciate his incredible musical ability and creativity in his own right.

As always with World Circuit recordings, great attention to detail has been paid to recording, production, packaging and presentation to ensure it is of the highest quality.


Personnel:
Toumani Diabate - (kora)

About the Artist:
Toumani is amongst the most important musicians in Africa today and an eminent ambassador for the continent as a whole. Popular throughout the world, his music is both classical and contemporary in one.

The kora is a 21 stringed African harp unique to West Africa. As the world's premier kora player, Toumani can take much of the credit for the growing interest in this traditional instrument. In addition to his previous acclaimed albums, Toumani has reached a more modern audience through his recent work with the brilliantly funky Symmetric Orchestra and his collaborations with well known artists such as Damon Albarn, Ali Farka Touré, Salif Keita, Taj Mahal, and most recently Bjork. Toumani performed on her last album and then proved very popular with the crowd when they appeared together at Glastonbury last year.

Toumani Diabaté has been nominated along with his Symmetric Orchestra in the Africa category of BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music 2008. The winners will be announced in April. His recording with the late Ali Farka Touré, 'In the Heart of the Moon' won a Grammy in 2005."

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Vieux Diop
(Via Jo)

Artist: Vieux Diop
CD title: Vieux Diop (Via Jo)
Release date: 1995
Number of Discs: 1
Genre: World
Type: MP3 format sound
Quality: 320 Kbit
Time: 01:01:03
Total size: 139 MB

Tracks:
01. Vieux Diop-Jali 7:20
02. Vieux Diop-N-Gej 6:18
03. Vieux Diop-Sutu Kun 6:21
04. Vieux Diop-Banana 4:18
05. Vieux Diop-Lee 8:44
06. Vieux Diop-Mansani 5:17
07. Vieux Diop-Kumba 6:39
08. Vieux Diop-Jarabi 9:25
09. Vieux Diop-Jem 6:33

Quote:
Like many immigrants, Senegalese musician Vieux Diop came to America to "experience new things. I wanted to come over, see the U.S., and try my luck."
But when Diop, who has just released Afrika Wassa (Triloka), arrived in New York in 1983, he discovered that "African music and culture was really not known. I remember that if you went out in African clothes, people would look at you and wonder why you were wearing pajamas."
Meeting some other Senegalese, he began playing his harp-like kora with them, and made ends meet by teaching language classes. Although music was his focus, it took 11 years before he issued his first album, the Caribbean-flavored Deeso, followed in 1995 by Vieux Diop (Vieux Jo).
During that decade, American ears began to open up to people like Baaba Maal and Salif Keita, and Diop's old friend, Youssou N'Dour. Diop, whose real name is Alioune (Vieux, meaning old, is a nickname from his grandfather), and N'Dour had started out playing and recording together in Dakar's Star Band when they were teenagers, with Diop behind his first instrument, a drum kit.


Alioune Diop, alias Vieux Diop, est un maître de la kora qui débute la musique à 11 ans en jouant de la batterie, avant d’étudier à Dakar les instruments traditionnels, kora, djembé et xalam.
Dans les années 70 il joue de la batterie avec Youssou N'Dour et le Star Band du Miami. Puis part à New York en 83 où il enseigne dans la célèbre Juilliard School of Music.

Il enregistre son premier album "Deeso" en 94, suivi de "Via Jo" en 95.
En plus de la kora il joue aussi des djembés et chante en wolof, mandingue, français et anglais.

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http://rapidshare.com/files/91307948...x_Jo.part1.rar

Part2:

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Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba
Segu Blue

Artist: Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba
CD title: Segu Blue
Release date: 2007
Number of Discs: 1
Genre: Ethnic
Type: MP3 format sound
Quality: 112 Kbit
Time: 01:02:46
Total size: 51,2 MB

Tracks:
01. Tabali te 1:46
02. Bassekou 3:21
03. Jonkoloni 5:06
04. Juru nani (feat.Kasse Mady Diabate) 5:41
05. Mbowdi (feat. Zoumana Tereta) 5:19
06. The River Tune 3:15
07. Andra's Song 4:20
08. Ngoni fola 4:15
09. Banani (feat. Lobi Traoré) 3:39
10. Bala (feat. Zoumana Tereta) 5:56
11. Segu tonjon 3:55
12. Sinsani (feat.Kasse Mady Diabate) 5:57
13. Lament For Ali Farka 5:52
14. Segu Blue (Poyi) 4:16

Quote:

Bassekou Kouyate's debut album "Segu Blue" has been announced the winner of "Album of the Year - Critics Award", part of the annual BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music. Bassekou Kouyate is a ngoni master from Mali with a band Ngoni ba, a quartet of ngoni players—treble, mid range and bass—augmented by Kouyate's wife, Ami Sacko, on lead vocals, and two percussionists.

Nearly 300 writers, musicians, activists and other people in the business were asked to vote for Album of the Year in the World music genre. The voting was conducted by fRoots Magazine. Segu Blue emerged a clear winner ahead of other tough competitors like Andy Palacio's "Watina" as well as Tinariwen's "Aman Iman".

Chris May reviewing the album for allaboutjazz.com put it this way "It's an album of understated but awesome beauty, full of lush melodies and supple rhythms, deep, peaceful and healing; happier sounding than Ali Farka Toure's music, but equally weighty and mesmeric."


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Mamadou Diabate
Tunga

Artist: Mamadou Diabate
CD title: Tunga
Release date: 2000
Number of Discs: 1
Genre: Ethnic
Type: MP3 format sound
Quality: 160 Kbit
Time: 00:45:15
Total size: 51,9 MB

Tracks:
01. Mamadou Diabate-Dagna 4:58
02. Mamadou Diabate-Dounuya 5:02
03. Mamadou Diabate-Tunga 6:31
04. Mamadou Diabate-Larsidan 4:34
05. Mamadou Diabate-Soutoukou 3:37
06. Mamadou Diabate-Mamadou Diawara 5:26
07. Mamadou Diabate-Djanjo 4:46
08. Mamadou Diabate-Djelimory 4:56
09. Mamadou Diabate-Mande 5:21

Info:
Son of kora virtuoso Djelimory Diabate and cousin toToumani Diabate, 25-year-old Mamadou Diabate steps into his own here on Tunga ("Adventure"). It's a strong debut with interpretations of 13th-century African music shaped by contemporary hands. Diabate, who resettled in New York, invites not only African expatriate friends but also noted jazz bassist Ira Coleman to accompany him. Their collaboration is a pleasantly gentle but still intriguing mix of Malian music. On "Dounuya," Chicago-style blues somehow floats into the lovely African landscape, and though "Dagna" is an original composition, Coleman's acoustic bass work blurs the line between bebop and Malian court music. And ancient Malian court music dominates this collection, whether through classic songs portrayed with modern elements or adaptations of Manding standards. Balafon gently chimes in with its woody, teardrop tones on a handful of tracks, and the vocals of Abdoulaye Diyabate on "Dounuya" and "Mamadou Diawara" add a distinctly Malian narrative. The overall beauty of Tunga is in its ability to explore the future while staying true to its roots; Diabate may be living in New York, but fortunately his heart's still in Africa.
--Karen K. Hugg

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Ladysmith Black Mambazo
The Star and the Wiseman

Artist: Ladysmith Black Mambazo
CD title: The Star and the Wiseman
Release date: 1999
Number of Discs: 1
Genre: Ethnic
Sub-genre: Isicathamiya
Type: MP3 format sound
Quality: 256-320 Kbit
Time: 01:16:25
Total size: 131 MB
Info: booklet scan included

Tracks:
01. Once In a Blue Moon [3:56]
02. Shosholoza [3:47]
03. Diamonds on The Soles of Her Shoes [5:41]
04. Oh Happy Day [5:44]
05. Inkanyezi Nezazi (the Star & the Wiseman) [4:51]
07. Kangivumanga (I Disagreed) [5:12]
08. Homeless [3:56]
09. Sisesiqhingini (Everything 's so Stupid) [4:20]
10. Abezizwe [3:30]
11. Vulani Amasango [3:17]
12. Sibezwa Bekhuluma [3:29]
13. Chain Gang [3:52]
14. Yibolobafana [4:31]
15. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot [3:51]
16. Rain, Rain, beautiful Rain [3:11]
17. Liph'Jqiniso [3:32]
18. World in Union 95 [3:54]
06. Knockin' on Heavens Door [5:43]


Background information:
Whether they are singing hymns or secular songs, Ladysmith Black Mambazo always raise their voices in glorious harmony. They are the unmatched masters of the South African a cappella form known as isicathamiya or mbube, and this CD demonstrates their vocal prowess. The Zulu songs are ornamented by trills, yips, humming and tra-la-las and punctuated by the rhythmic clicks that are particular to the language. The English-language songs instruct and advise on the fine moral points of human relationships. While the mbube song form lends a certain similarity to the pieces, this group is so good that the music never seems redundant and the generous selection of 16 songs seems to go by too quickly.

Part1:

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http://rapidshare.com/files/88897186...eman.part1.rar

Part2:

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http://rapidshare.com/files/88890526/L_Black_M-Star_and_the_Wiseman.part2.rar

Miriam Makeba
Sangoma

Artist: Miriam Makeba
CD title: Sangoma
Label: Warner Bros./Wea
Release date: 1990
Original release: 1988
Number of Discs: 1
Genre: Ethnic
Type: MP3 format sound
Quality: 320Kbit
Time: 00:42:57
Total size: 98,2 MB

Tracks:
1 Emabhaceni
2 Baxabene Oxamu
3 Ngalala Phantsi
4 Ihoyiya
5 Kulo Nyaka
6 Baya Jabula
7 Mabhongo
8 Ingwemabala
9 Mosadi ku Rima
10 Angilalanga
11 Ungakanani
12 Ngiya Khuyeka
13 Nyankwabe
14 Sambuyoma
15 Congo
16 Nginani Na
17 Imam Uyajabula
18 Nyamuthla
19 Icala
20 Masakhane
21 Amaliya
22 Pata Pata 200
23 Cause We Live For Love
24 Lewawechi
25 Homeland
26 Afrika is where My Heart Lies
27 In Time

Amazon.com
A sangoma is a traditional healer, one who channels the ancestral spirits who advise the living. On this impeccably produced CD, Miriam Makeba returns to her roots, singing the songs of her childhood, and in the process seeks to heal the wounds of apartheid and 30 years of exile from her South African home. The songs here are parables, lullabies, and gathering songs, deeply spiritual and moving. They are songs of struggle and perseverance delivered by Africa's best-loved voice. Mama Africa (Makeba's nickname) is joined by a group of soulful women singers. Some songs feature understated percussion; others are gloriously unadorned a cappella. This is an essential timeless album from one of the world's greatest singers.
--Jeff Grubb

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